


A New You

by Onceyourempire



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Beta/Alpha, Is this Stridercest, M/M, we'll never know
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-17
Updated: 2012-03-17
Packaged: 2017-11-02 01:43:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/363622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Onceyourempire/pseuds/Onceyourempire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bro was dead.</p><p>Is dead.</p><p>But so is this Dave, this new Dave, and he is enough like Bro to make the worry less but different enough to make conversation at least interesting.  </p><p>And they don't leave.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A New You

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote Alpha!Dave/Beta!Bro about forever ago, back when Act Six first started. I kind of kept it in secret in my phone for a while but I got Darci to read it and I re-read it and it seemed decent enough to post. I really like the idea of this pairing....? Because I'm strange...? I like it more than normal Stridercest and Beta!Dave/Dirk anyway. 
> 
> I'm picky about my yaois.
> 
> wonk wonk
> 
> I'm not funny? ANYWAY

This isn't his Dave

This is a new Dave, a Dave that is actually older than he was by a couple of years. This is famous Dave that grew up in the same house that he had, with the same cruddy parents. This isn't his brother anymore. This is someone who died like he had, to protect his little brother.

This Dave died to protect the other him, just as Bro had died to protect the other Dave.

They know each other better than they know themselves, just from these few simple facts.

They have the same history. The same parents. Different brothers, but similar ways of raising them. It makes sense that they find each other in this dream bubble and find kindred spirits in each other.

There are enough differences between them to give them something to talk about but enough similarties to make them laugh at the same jokes and enjoy the same things.

It's comforting to have someone there while he's still so scared for his Dave, out there in the wild blue yonder. This Dave knows what he's going through, because he feels the same way.

They spend hours avoiding talk of their siblings, afraid it'll ruin the friendship they've cobbled together out of need and desperation. It takes time and other Dave is the first one to say it.

"You know, my brother-" he stops himself but Bro waits.

"-My brother was always really into robots. He was really clever. Is really clever."

Bro notices the hopeful edit but pretends not to.

"Mine wasn't so much into mechanics. I was, as a kid, but once Da- my brother came around, I kind of didn't have time. He's more into art. Photography. He's a regulation hipster."

Dave smiles at that and stands to retrieve a camera from what has become "his room".

"You are not taking my picture."

"I will if you hold still."

"Fuck you. I'm going to make this as blurry as possible."

And just like that, nothing is untouchable. They talk about their brothers, raising them, their careers- Bro even tells the story of the time His Dave had brought a sword to show and tell.

He isn't sure when he starts thinking of his brother as His Dave and stops thinking of the older Dave as Other Dave and just thinks of him as Dave.

He also isn't sure when Dave stops slipping up and calling him by his brother's name and starts calling him Bro, like everyone else had. These days, he even jokes and calls Bro "Broderick" or "Rick".

Bro would ask, but he feels like it doesn't matter.

He doesn't see Dave as another version of his younger brother anymore. He sees him as a person. He sees him as someone who understands. He sees him as a friend.

One time, he walks in on Dave napping on the couch, and he sees him crying in his sleep. He sits on the arm of the couch and pets his hair, like he did with His Dave when he was little and having nightmares. Dave (This Dave, Older Dave, New Dave) wakes, slowly. He rubs tears off his face and thanks Bro for waking him up. He's about to explain away the tears when Bro cups his face with both hands and kisses him.

It's then he realizes that he likes Dave as more than a friend.

When Dave kisses back, he realizes he could love him.

And it's what in bubble time is weeks later, when he's wrapped around Dave as he sleeps in their bed, that he realizes exactly what he's doing to himself.

When His Dave (and even that's confusing now because they are both his so maybe he should say Little Dave?) wins or win Other Bro wins, he's going to lose This Dave. The idea of being back home with Little Dave (once again, not right, because his brother is grown now, mature and wise beyond his years) is exciting. He misses their home, misses their rap-offs and irony showdowns.

But he likes this dream bubble. He likes This Dave a lot- so much more than he should or really wants to think about. He likes talking with him, avoiding his camera. He likes having someone understand every single thing he could ever talk about. He likes liking someone. He likes not being single, not being alone.

It's scary, being here wrapped around the paradox self of his little brother.

But the idea of living without him is so much scarier.

And that, in and of itself, is the most frightening part of all.

**Author's Note:**

> Edit: A wonderful person who goes by MasterJellybean did a podfic of this! If you guys want to listen to it (which I recommend hehe) go here! http://tindeck.com/listen/fbkj


End file.
